FOM and University of Twente sign agreement for transfer of nSI from DIFFER to University of Twente
Today the FOM Foundation and the University of Twente signed an agreement for the transfer of the Nanolayer Surface & Interface Physics (nSI) Department of professor Fred Bijkerk from the FOM Institute for Fundamental Energy Research DIFFER to the Faculty of Science and Technology and MESA+, the institute for nanotechnology, at the University of Twente. With this, all of the agreements have been made for a gradual relocation of the personnel and equipment, which will be completed in 2014. This contract creates optimum conditions for setting up an industrial XUV Optics research group in Twente, in which the department from DIFFER will be given a place.
The nSI department is one of the top groups in the area of nanotechnology and is a trailblazer in linking fundamental research to concrete questions and needs from industry and science. The department is involved in various Industrial Partnership Programmes of FOM.
A large number of industrial parties and the Dutch Province of Overijssel have pledged substantial investments for the realisation of the new XUV Optics group at the University of Twente. They are expected to sign the contracts for this on about 1 September.
Previous related press releases can be found here.